Vision, Unity Let The Games Begin Athletes From 160 Nations Gather In Seoul With Hopes Of Glory

September 17, 1988|By Bill Buchalter of The Sentinel Staff

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — Every morning, as joggers wind through the vineyards and the burial ground of the Olympic Park, they are greeted by the rush of music seemingly pumped out of the hillside.

The all-too-familiar strains of ''Hand in Hand,'' the theme of these Games of the 24th Olympiad, is a stirring reminder of what took place here today -- the uniting of nations of the world in a divided land.

Just 35 miles to the north, the village of Panmunjom and the DMZ (demilitarized zone) separates North and South Korea. While soldiers from North and South maintain a vigil, often eyeballing each other with rifles at the ready, athletes from 160 nations marched into Olympic Stadium and stood side by side in the spirit of Olympic competition.

A dream many believed could not be accomplished became reality, echoed in the words of South Korean basketball star Hur Jae who represented a record 13,632 athletes by reciting the Olympic oath. It was a popular choice since many Koreans regard Hur as a hero or a sex symbol.

The dream of Juan Antonio Samaranch, the president of the International Olympic Committee, to bring Koreans -- North and South -- to the peace table didn't hold, but his goal to unite the world under the Olympic banner -- albeit for nearly a month -- has come to fruition.

The athletes are ready.

So is an ancient land with something to prove to a modern world.

U.S. military personnel stationed here remember when you couldn't cross the Han River without putting a handkerchief over your nose. One Air Force officer said there were no water sewage treatment plants before the Games were awarded. Now there are 15.

Like the purification of the Han, the building of Korean self-esteem is tied to the gala three-hour opening ceremonies that opened the eyes of the world to this industrious nation.

Also opened have been the doors of economic opportunity: Hungary agreeing to exchange permanent missions; Yugoslavia expressing a similar interest; and Czechoslovakia hoping to open a trade office in Seoul and to allow Korea to open one in Prague.

The Games, for all their splendor and for all their energies and economic impact, have a way of doing these things; especially when it comes to self- esteem.

That is why the opening ceremonies were uniquely tied to the Han, where a flotilla representing all national Olympic committees and led by a yong-ko- sun, or dragon ship, served as a prelude to the athletes' arrival.

That is why Korean folk hero Sohn Kee Chung entered Olympic Stadium carrying the Olympic flame toward the cauldron before passing it to Lim Chun Aae, who circled the stadium. He passed the torch to Chung Sun Man, Kim Won Tak and Sohn Mi Chung, who lit the flame in unison.

That is why a solemn and colorful march of a Chosun Dynasty's king was revived to delicately balance the arrival of the Olympic torch from its 20-day odyssey stretching from Inchon to Uijonbu.

And that is why torch runners, including U.S. rower Dave Krmpotich of Philadelphia, carried the flame the last 16.7 kilometers -- to demonstrate the Seoul Olympics theme of harmony and progess among the peoples of the world.

Park Seh Jik, president of Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee (SLOOC) confirmed that athletes and officials from 160 nations are participating, the largest in the history of the Olympics.

There is something special about opening ceremonies. U.S. basketball Coach John Thompson admitted to bawling like a baby during his first Olympics, in Montreal in 1976.

''It was the most dramatic experience of my life. Walking onto the field was the most sensational feeling I've ever experienced. I was totally overcome with pride. At my age I thought I'd experienced almost everything, but this was a whole new thing.''

Thompson has communicated this to his athletes. Lauderhill's Mitch Richmond confirmed that Thompson had spoken of the experience.

''Coach has told us about the ceremonies,'' he said. ''It will help us overcome all that aura of the spectacle. We are in the Olympics Games and we should be proud.''

One of the proudest is Sohn Kee Chung, who became a Korean legend in 1936, winning the marathon during the Berlin Olympics. In Sohn's heart he was Korean, but he wore the uniform of Japan, the occupational government of Korea.

At 76, Sohn runs daily along the mighty Han, which runs through the heart of Seoul. Sohn ran as a protest to Japanese control.

''The Japanese could stop our musicians from our songs. They could stop our singers and silence our speakers. But they could not stop me from running,'' he told Sports Illustrated.

When Sohn won the marathon and the Japanese anthem was played, he lowered his head. His silent protest was 32 years before the closed-fist salute by black Americans John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Games in Mexico City. The Japanese retired Sohn from racing at age 24 to avoid nationalistic stirrings among Koreans. His plight is reminiscent of East Germany imprisoning world record discus thrower Wolfgang Schmidt for being too friendly to Western athletes.

Sohn is a hero again at these Games.

And Schmidt is staying at the Olympic Family Village. He serves as personal coach for U.S. discus thrower Mac Wilkins. Schmidt was invited to attend the Games by Wilkins through a program that allows athletes to invite a parent, spouse or friend.